THREE per cent. That is how much the shipping industry contributes to total global carbon emissions. It might not sound much for a sector that carries 90 per cent of world trade. But given current predictions for climate change, that number needs to fall drastically, and fast.

It isn’t just about greenhouse gases. The shipping industry still uses “bunker fuel” made from the remnants of petrol refining. Loaded with noxious gases and fine particles, it is a major contributor to the 4.2 million people whose deaths are attributed to air pollution globally every year.